Carlton had always liked rain. There was just something about the feeling of it. And the smell. He loved the smell. Lauren used to think it was the smell of dead worms, but he had assured it was just the smell of wet earth. It had been raining the day he passed his detective exam. And Victoria used to say his eyes reminded her of rain.

But now … it was Marlowe's first day out of prison and he was desperate to take her somewhere, remind her of the world. He knew she'd only been locked up for a few months, but he kept picturing how her eyes were just going to light up when he took her to on a picnic on the beach and watched the sunset. But the world had picked today of all days to rain. It was an absolute downpour, the likes of which Santa Barbara rarely saw.

Marlowe must have picked up on his mood when he came to get her from the station. He unlocked her cell himself and she shyly approached him. “What's wrong?” she asked, smiling but with worry in her eyes.

He smiled, despite the rain. “Nothing.”

She took his hand and he held it, both of them enjoying the feeling of actually touching each other. “What do you think we should do today?”

“I was going to take you on a picnic because I figured you'd like some time outside. But it's raining.” He hated having to say it.

To his surprise, she laughed, her other hand resting gently on his forearm. “Oh, Carlton. Please don't worry about that. We have hundreds and hundreds of days to spend outside.”

He found himself smiling again. “Hundreds?”

She stopped and he worried he'd overstepped. But she looked up at him, her eyes wide and sincere. “Hundreds.”

They decided to move the picnic inside. Carlton pushed his furniture to the walls and Marlowe spread the blanket out, claiming it would be even better than a picnic on the beach. They talked, even laughed. And when it got late, Marlowe curled up next to him on the couch and they both fell asleep to the sound of rain against the windows.

Carlton had always liked rain.